ISLAMABAD : The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on January 4, for the combined income groups, witnessed nominal decrease of 0.31 percent as compared to previous week.
The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 225.39 points against 226.09 points last week, according to the latest data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday.
As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 3.47 per cent. The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007, 2008=100, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups.
Meanwhile, the SPI for the lowest income group up to Rs 8,000 also decreased by 0.51 percent as it down from 215.49 points in the previous week to 214.39 points in the week under review. As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs 8001 to 12,000, Rs 12,001 to 18,000, Rs 18,001 to 35,000 and above Rs 35,000, also decreased by 0.47 percent, 0.44 percent, 0.35 percent and 0.15 percent respectively.
During the week under review, average prices of 14 items registered decrease, while 15 items increased with the remaining 24 items’ prices unchanged.
The items, which registered decrease in their prices during the week under review included tomatoes, potatoes, chicken, onions, bath soap, LPG Cylinder, tea (packet), gur, red chilly, eggs, sugar, gram pulse, mash pulse and garlic.
The items, which registered increase Kerosene oil, petrol, diesel, bananas, moong pulse, cooked beef, rice (basmati broken), masoor pulse, wheat, mutton, georgette, firewood, wheat flour, cooking oil and vegetable ghee.
The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included rice (irri-6), bread, beef, milk (fresh), curd, milk (powdered), mustard oil, vegetable ghee, salt (powdered), cooked daal, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, law, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, electric bulb, washing soap, match box and telephone local call.